14 April 2011

Extra traffic lights start on Anzac Parade

| johnboy
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The National Capital Authority is giving notice that they’re turning on an extra set of traffic lights on Anzac Parade on the intersection with Blamey Crescent and Currong Street.

The traffic signals have been installed to improve the safety of the intersection. The phased signals generally replicate the function of the existing traffic signals a short distance to the south at the intersection of Anzac Parade and Constitution Avenue.

“The signalised intersection addresses a central black spot in Canberra. Traffic signals were identified as the most effective mechanism to reduce the number of crash incidents at the intersection and improve pedestrian safety,” said NCA Chief Executive, Gary Rake.

Happy news, they’ve been specially designed to blend in, which is just what you want in a traffic signal.

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Im with Sgt.Bungers – just plug up the island in the middle, I don’t see that many Campbell residents would need to use it anyway when they can use the more direct route to Civic via Constitution Ave, or on the return use the roundabout at the Limestone end to turn into Cambell off Anzac.

troll-sniffer8:05 pm 18 Apr 11

LMR said :

Part time traffic lights are a good idea, in theory. Unfortunatly Canberra drivers are so retarded that this would create so much confusion as to cause more accidents than before the lights were installed and I understand that there has been at least one study to prove it.

I’d like to see a reference to such a study. Why would anyone imagine that if drivers in all corners of the globe are capable of dealing with the concept of part time lights, we in Canberra could not embrace it safely. I see no evidence that it has ever been trialled anywhere in Canberra, despite a plethora of intersections where it would be a godsend and the risks would be infinitesimal.

How about Canberra’s most useless set of lights, along Phillip Avenue near the old Watson High School? During the morning and afternoon peaks the signals could operate to allow easy crossing of Phillip Ave, the rest of the time Stop signs would be the control for the cross traffic, and motorists travelling towards Gungahlin would no longer need to be stopped dead just because a lonely car wants to turn left out of Windeyer Street, despite never going anywhere near the Gungahlin-bound lanes.

LMR said :

Part time traffic lights are a good idea, in theory. Unfortunatly Canberra drivers are so retarded that this would create so much confusion as to cause more accidents than before the lights were installed and I understand that there has been at least one study to prove it.

So this brings us back full circle to our pathetic licencing system that places an emphasis on parking skills, rather than car control in adverse conditions, defensive driving, and basic common sense.

Part time traffic lights are a good idea, in theory. Unfortunatly Canberra drivers are so retarded that this would create so much confusion as to cause more accidents than before the lights were installed and I understand that there has been at least one study to prove it.

Part of becoming a “black spot” would have to attributed to the lovable drunk that killed himself there a few years ago. I seem to remember the popular press gushing over what a great guy he was, and how he drove to Campbell every night absolutely sloshed.

Also a +1 for part time lights. I happened to go to Hume the other day. The Sheppard St/Lanyon Drive lights were flashing orange. I don’t think anyone died for the short off peak time this was happening. In fact, traffic seemed to flow slightly more smoothly. Bring on the nanny state. Or is it the litigious state that Govco are avoiding?

+1 for part time signals. Drivers in many other countries have no problems with these, or with shared zones, or with actually paying attention to the surroundings when you drive. Not in Australia. I’m surprised they haven’t put in a ‘safety’ camera on either side of the parade yet (in matching dark grey of course)

colourful sydney racing identity2:47 pm 15 Apr 11

LMR said :

Mysteryman said :

Seriously? Did we actually need these? I highly doubt it.

Its a known black spot, but if doubt lives are worth it, thats you opinion.

Having to stop the car, or even slow down, is an impostion on his ‘rights’ dontchaknow?

colourful sydney racing identity2:46 pm 15 Apr 11

Mysteryman said :

Seriously? Did we actually need these? I highly doubt it.

Can you please let me know when you will be on the road? I really don’t want to have to drive at the same time as someone who has such scant regard for every traffic safety measure.

Mysteryman said :

Seriously? Did we actually need these? I highly doubt it.

Its a known black spot, but if doubt lives are worth it, thats you opinion.

troll-sniffer12:53 pm 15 Apr 11

A prime example of a set of lights that only needs to be on for 7-9.30am and 4-6pm.

But of course our traffic engineers insist we can’t be trusted to understand and use part-time signals even though the fact is that most countries in the civilised world have no such problem.

Despite the doubts expressed here that the lights are needed, the fact is that as with a lot of similar roads around Canberra the number of mums taking their cherubs to and from school and overloading the road system meant that the buses in particular were having difficulty crossing Anzac Parade, and the propensity of young urban females and tradies to drive down the wide expanse of the three lanes at 80km/hr and more meant that there was often a real danger faced by cross traffic cars attempting to find gaps in the traffic.

How’s that for a convoluted sentence? Can’t be bothered re-writing it in proper good English but, so you’re stuckeded with it.

Holden Caulfield12:02 pm 15 Apr 11

Sgt.Bungers said :

Bring in the NSW standard of yellow reflector tape wrapped around each traffic light pole at every intersection in the state, so as to make the intersection significantly more visible from a great distance in case of adverse conditions/events.

That sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

The simplest option would have been to block access across ANZAC Pde altogether! Would probably piss Campbell residents off a bit, I guess.

Blend in? Awesome. Fine for when the traffic lights are actually illuminated, but come the first blackout at night, this intersection will be harder to spot than any other actively controlled intersection in Canberra.

A safety device that tens of thousands of people must “use” each day whilst undertaking the most dangerous task they’re likely to carry out in that day… driving to work. And the planning authoritah’s main concern is that said safety device looks puuuurty? Jesus.

Bring in the NSW standard of yellow reflector tape wrapped around each traffic light pole at every intersection in the state, so as to make the intersection significantly more visible from a great distance in case of adverse conditions/events.

Seriously? Did we actually need these? I highly doubt it.

And further:
“Consultation was undertaken in accordance with the NCA’s Commitment to Community Engagement.

“The community was invited to comment on the proposed work in July 2010. We also consulted with key stakeholder groups regarding the safety aspects and heritage impacts on the proposed signalisation,” said Mr Rake.

In developing the project the NCA conducted a Heritage Impact Assessment, and referred the project to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities for review under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

To minimise the visual impact of the installation the traffic poles have been specially coloured to blend in, and reinforce the existing high quality streetscape of Anzac Parade. “

Sounds like a monumental waste of taxpayers money all this consultation. Just build the damn lights why were so many committees required?

And finally…

“heritage impacts on the proposed signalisation” !??? Walter burley griffin society code-phrase for how can we protect our sacred anzac leyline geometry and not be exposed for our lack of concern for public safety in the process.

Blend in?

I drove past yesterday and the poles are black instead of silver. Not sure how black blends in with anything.(maybe the energy of the place). Another reptoid conspiracy no doubt.

And why does these ones need to ‘blend in’ but the ones on Constitution ave intersection are the standard steel poles? Can anyone hazard a guess.

And I wonder if we can find out how much extra it cost taxpayers for the ‘Camo black’ poles for these traffic lights? I reckon the paint job would have added at least 50% cost to the intersection on Canberra prices.

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